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Ragged Soul

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Ragged Soul
Studio album by
Released1995
StudioEarl's Cow Palace
GenrePunk rock
LabelCrypt[1]
ProducerLazy Cowgirls, Earle Mankey
Lazy Cowgirls chronology
How It Looks—How It Is
(1990)
Ragged Soul
(1995)
A Little Sex and Death
(1997)

Ragged Soul is an album by the American band Lazy Cowgirls, released in 1995.[2][3] It was the band's first full studio album in five years.[4]

The band supported the album by touring with Cosmic Psychos.[5]

Production

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The album was produced by the band and Earle Mankey. Longtime members Pat Todd and Doug Phillips were joined by Leonard Keringer, Ed Huerta, and Michael Leigh.[6]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Chicago Tribune[8]

Trouser Press deemed Ragged Soul the band's masterpiece, writing that "this wonderful blast boasts cleaner, more dynamic sound without sacrificing any of the rough'n'ready urgency."[9] The Chicago Reader thought that "their amped-up take on rock’s traditional bluster combines Pat Todd’s consistently soulful singing with a muscular, corn-fed instrumental assault and melodies that get lodged in your head without losing any power."[10] The Columbus Dispatch declared that "Ragged Soul is a thrilling, sweaty, aggressive, pretty (yes, pretty) collection of 14 songs that will remind you of the best of the Ramones, Graham Parker and the Rolling Stones without even a hint of nostalgia."[11]

The Chicago Tribune determined that, "while the sort of music heard on Ragged Soul has been done countless times before, this middle-aged, all-male quintet understands that it's not so much what is played, but how."[8] The Wisconsin State Journal noted that "the album's lead track, 'I Can't Be Satisfied', sums up its 13 punk-rock successors nicely: It's urgent, speedy, bloody, explosive and hungry—yet strangely accessible, in a primal sort of way."[12] The Daily Herald concluded that "the music is as uncompromising as ever, though vocalist Pat Todd's thoughtful lyrics adds additional appeal beyond your standard moshpit music."[13]

AllMusic wrote: "Tough, furious, loud and proud—Ragged Soul is roots-smart old-school punk at its finest."[7] Alternative Press included the album on its 2021 list of the 15 best punk albums of 1995.[14]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleLength
1."I Can't Be Satisfied" 
2."Much Too Slow" 
3."Frustration, Tragedy & Lies" 
4."Who You Callin' a Slut?" 
5."Everything You Heard About Me Is True" 
6."Never Got the Chance" 
7."Too Much—One More Time" 
8."Time & Money" 
9."Another Long Goodbye" 
10."Now That You're Down on Me" 
11."I Can Almost Remember" 
12."Still on the Losin' Side (A.K.A. Snake Eyes)" 
13."Take It as It Comes" 
14."Bought Your Lies" 

References

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  1. ^ Davidson, Eric (June 1, 2010). We Never Learn: The Gunk Punk Undergut, 1988-2001. Rowman & Littlefield.
  2. ^ Jones, Brad. "The Lazy Cowgirls Gets Busy". Westword.
  3. ^ Sherr, Sara (22 May 1998). "Alternative Choice". Philadelphia Daily News. p. F35.
  4. ^ Morris, Chris (Dec 2, 1995). "Flag Waving". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 48. p. 69.
  5. ^ "'Blokes You Can Trust' to Be Loud, Disorderly Are Cosmic Psychos". The Spokesman-Review.
  6. ^ "Lazy Cowgirls Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  7. ^ a b "Ragged Soul". AllMusic.
  8. ^ a b Kot, Greg (4 Jan 1996). "Walking the Walk: Lazy Cowgirls Kicks Out the Jams with Punk Abandon on 'Ragged Soul'". Chicago Tribune. p. 7A.
  9. ^ "Lazy Cowgirls". Trouser Press. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  10. ^ Margasak, Peter (November 30, 1995). "Lazy Cowgirls". Chicago Reader.
  11. ^ "A heap o' punk". Weekender. The Columbus Dispatch. December 7, 1995. p. 8.
  12. ^ Thompson, Stephen (30 Nov 1995). "Cowgirls' Seedy Sound Just Right". Rhythm. Wisconsin State Journal. p. 9.
  13. ^ Kening, Dan (December 1, 1995). "The Lazy Cowgirls". Time Out. Daily Herald. p. 11.
  14. ^ Stegall, Tim (May 11, 2021). "15 albums from 1995 that are a perfect gateway into the world of punk". Alternative Press.